The Importance of Being Normal?
by Magical Mischief Maker no5
Summary: Lily/James fic. Will Lily end up giving in to James? Will the Griffindors beat the Slytherins? **CHAPTER 9 UP!** Read and review:)
1. Default Chapter

The Importance of Being .Normal?  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Meeting up and learning about sneaking out.sort of.  
  
  
  
"Oh come on Mum!"  
  
"No! And I'm not discussing it again, the answer will always be NO!"  
  
"You're soooo infuriating! Can't you just think about it and be rational?!"  
  
"NO!"  
  
Doors slammed as they normally did after an argument in the Evans household. Lily flopped onto her bed, hands balled in fists. More than anything, Lily wanted to finish her schooling at Hogwarts.  
  
Despite the fact that Alanna Evans knew that her daughter had been enrolled at Hogwarts for five years didn't seem to matter to her. Lily was going to go to a wonderful school, get brilliant grades, ace her finals and get a job with the English government, and live a happy NORMAL life like she and her husband had done for years.  
  
"Please?" Lily yelled again, not quite ready to give up.  
  
"No!" Came the firm answer.  
  
"For god sakes, would you two SHUT UP?" Lily's sister Petunia yelled from her room. Which was of course locked, just in case Lily decided for some odd reason to go and 'infect' her room with her weirdness.  
  
"Get bent Petunia!" Lily yelled, glad her father was at work or she'd be in deep trouble for sure.  
  
"Shove it FREAK!"  
  
"GIRLS!"  
  
If anyone had ever said that the Evan's household was normal, they were dead wrong. If anyone ever said that Lily's life was perfect, they were so off the mark they were crossing the finish line in the wrong direction.  
  
Instead of a quiet, happy family that usually got along, over the summer holidays the Evans's had turned into furious fighting freaks (as Petunia would say of course) always arguing over Lily's enrolment to Hogwarts.  
  
Sure Lily had been going to school there for five years, and it'd always been alright with her parents but something happened over the holidays that'd made it all go down the toilet.  
  
Petunia had been up to her regular antics again, trying to annoy her sister as much as possible when something happened to her and she instantly had a broken arm. As much as Lily explained that she couldn't have done it, and that it was probably just Petunia's idiotic behaviour that caused it, Alanna and Brent refused to listen.  
  
"You'll be out of that school, we can see now what it's teaching you!"  
  
"Back to a normal school it is for you now!"  
  
Were their instant responses. And now it seemed Lily was stuck. Despair and sadness began to replace her anger and Lily began to sob, lying on her bed. Reaching over to her bedside table she picked up her cordless phone and started to punch her best friends phone number in.  
  
"Hullo? Alex?" she said, trying to stop crying so she could speak coherently.  
  
"Lily? What's up dudette?" Alexandria's cheerful voice answered.  
  
Lily kind of laughed, which is always hard to do when you're crying, "They aren't going to let me go back to school,"  
  
"Are you dead sure? Did you try the stuff I suggested?"  
  
"Yeah, they aren't buying it though, it's so not fair Lex," Lily said, her voice getting higher "they just HAVE to let me go."  
  
"Well Lily, I'd hate to break it to you but there is another way of you getting to school," Alex said as if a teacher to a young student  
  
"Sure thing," Lily mumbled  
  
"No, really there is, you can come with me. Just sneak out of your house on Monday when we're s'posed to go back to school, and I'll get Mum to pick you up from the corner and we'll drive you to the station with us."  
  
"Why didn't I think of that?" Lily said brightening.  
  
"Because you haven't been hanging around with James and Sirius all summer! Honestly, I think I'll go insane if I don't get back around some normal people." Alex said, and Lily could tell from the tone in her voice that she was rolling her eyes.  
  
"You have my pity, I'd have killed them by now if I'd had to spend all summer with James-not to mention Sirius. Sorry, I know James is your cousin, but god he's annoying!"  
  
"No offence taken-don't you think I KNOW he's a pain?" Alex replied cheerfully "Oh, I've got to go Lily, we just got back from James's today and we're STILL unpacking."  
  
"It's ok, I'll see you at the corner of Ebony and Charles Street tomorrow at 7am,"  
  
"Righty-o then, see you then Lily."  
  
"Cheerio." Lily said, hanging up.  
  
'Thank god,' she thought happily 'now I have to pack.' Pulling out her trunk from under her bed, she began to fill it with all her school stuff, robes, and some of her Muggle clothing. She had a feeling she wouldn't be coming back to her room.  
  
That night she slept lightly, tossing and turning all night. Constant nightmares of her being caught sneaking out played over and over in her mind. Even as Alex's best friend, who was very much in the inner circle of the Marauders, a bunch of prank playing boys in their year led by James Potter and Sirius Black, Lily still hadn't gotten used to breaking rules.  
  
Or breaking them in the first place.  
  
In fact, in her whole first two years of school at Hogwarts, Lily had only had one detention and that was when the whole of her Potions class received one when her teacher had what she assumed to have been a severe case of PMS.  
  
At last the morning came, and Lily saw her alarm clock on her bedside table click over to display 6:55am. For someone who'd had such a bad night of sleep, she sure could over sleep. Her green eyes widened as she realised what she was going to do that day in just five minutes time.  
  
"Damn It!" she screeched, forgetting to be quiet to aid her escape. Immediately she clamped a hand over her mouth, praying that her family would stay asleep. Lily stayed perfectly still for a moment, convinced any movement would wake up her family until she gave up and dashed around the room trying to get dressed quickly.  
  
She literally put on the first thing she pulled out of her wardrobe, which happened to be a yellow wool jumper, which she hated and a pair of black jeans. Running a brush through her long wavy red hair, she hastily braided it and threw the brush into her trunk. A glance back at the alarm clock, which was fast becoming her favourite thing to swear at. 6:58am.  
  
Lily hurtled out of her house, now not too concerned about the noise she was making, and dashed down the street.  
  
"You come back here missy!" her father yelled as he chased her down the street.  
  
"Sorry Dad! I love ya, but I'm going to school!" she hollered over her shoulder, jumping into Mrs O' Flannery's black sedan, throwing in her trunk before her. At that moment she was very, very glad that her best friend didn't live in the wizarding world.  
  
"God Lily!" Alex's little brother William exclaimed, "I know you're in a rush but you didn't have to flatten me with your trunk."  
  
"Sorry Will, I didn't realise you'd be coming with Alex to the station." Lily said, panting "Thanks for getting me Mrs O' Flannery," she said to the black haired woman who was driving.  
  
"That's ok dear," Mrs O' Flannery replied "Alexandria ("Mum! It's Alex!") told me all about your parents little.fit."  
  
"Yeah, they're being a bit unreasonable," Lily said, watching the streets race by as they got closer to Kings Cross Station.  
  
"A BIT?" Alex exploded "try totally!"  
  
"Doesn't really matter I'm going now anyway,"  
  
"Well there you go girls, I'm sure you can find your station, have fun at school," Mrs O' Flannery said as she pulled over at the curb.  
  
"Bye Mrs O' Flannery," Lily said as she got out, pulling her trunk out of the backseat "Bye Will."  
  
Alex said goodbye to her mother and good riddance to her brother and then the pair went into the station.  
  
They walked down to platform 9 and ¾ chatting away as you always do with your best friend when you haven't seen them all summer.  
  
"Hey Lex! Slow down!" a boys voice called out.  
  
"God," Alex said to Lily "that's James," she began to walk faster  
  
"Alexandria! Stop. Walking!"  
  
"And Sirius," she said to Lily "The names' ALEX!" she yelled over her shoulder.  
  
"Look Lex!" Lily said pointing to her other best friend "Ellen's over there!"  
  
They stopped walking in front of the Hogwarts Express.  
  
"ELLEN!" Alex yelled out "OI!"  
  
The short brunette looked up from the magazine she was reading "LEX! LILY!" she screeched and rushed over to them, practically knocking over a couple of people on the way. "How are you guys?"  
  
Unfortunately none other than James and Sirius interrupted their responses.  
  
"Hi girls," James said as he rustled up Ellen's shoulder length hair.  
  
"Hey James. Long time no see, not," Alex said, whacking his hand away to stop him mussing up Ellen's hair any more. "so why've you decided to pick on us? Aren't your annoying skills meant to be reserved for unsuspecting Slytherins?"  
  
"Nope," Sirius answered for his friend "it comes free everyday."  
  
"More like you just get used to being pains and you can't stop behaving like you do," Lily said laughing.  
  
"Hey Lily-kins, you aren't best person to be around either you know," Sirius said, winning himself a punch on the arm.  
  
"Well, we'd best be leaving you girls now," James said, glancing at his pocket watch "we're supposed to be meeting Remus and Peter on the train in the third compartment, right now."  
  
"Bye!" the three girls chorused.  
  
Despite their playful fighting, they all normally did get along quite well. Just not when the girls would rather be talking about their holidays. Or when James was being bossy about quidditch. Or when Alex was getting a little too worked up about quidditch. Or when Lily was being lazy about quidditch. Or when Ellen was quizzing everyone who went near her with her tedious magazine quizzes.  
  
Or when,.well just MOST of the time anyway.  
  
Quidditch seemed to bring out the best and worst in all of them as they were all on the team. Of all the girls Alex was definitely the one who had the best chance of making a team after Hogwarts and James was the same out of the guys. Perhaps it was a family gene.  
  
The girls got their luggage onto the train and found a compartment that was empty to take over.  
  
"So, who says we go and find out what the guys are doing?" Ellen said eagerly.  
  
!!~~~!!~~~!!~~~!!~~~!!  
  
A/N: Hi there! This is my first MWPP fic, and I hope you like it! I can write as much and as fast as you review, so REVIEW!! Long chapters are promised.as long as you review-I don't care how short it is!  
  
From the Magical Mischief Maker no5 otherwise known as Katherine!  
  
  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Harry Potter, that's JK Rowling turf! I only own Alexandria (Alex or Lex) O' Flannery, and Ellen Rockswell.  
  
SUMMARY: Lily and her two best friends, Alex and Ellen are in their fifth year at Hogwarts. What will happen when Lily beings to get to know the Marauders better? Will the Slytherins manage to beat the Griffindors in the House Cup? Will the Marauders be able to win a bet with Alex? Or will they fail miserably? 


	2. Chapter2

The Importance of Being. . . Normal?  
  
SUMMARY: Lily and her two best friends, Alex and Ellen are in their fifth year at Hogwarts. What will happen when Lily beings to get to know the Marauders better? Will the Slytherins manage to beat the Griffindors in the House Cup? Will the Marauders be able to win a bet with Alex? Or will they fail miserably?  
  
CHAPTER 2  
  
Being Late and Stomach tingles  
  
"So, who says we go and find out what the guys are doing?" Ellen said eagerly.  
  
"Elle, it's not really that hard to figure out what they're doing you know," Alex said, stretching her long legs out over a bench seat. "all they ever do on the train on the first day back is try and get some good pranks out of the way before McGonagal knows about it."  
  
A loud bang came from the compartment in front of them.  
  
"See-they've already started." Alex yawned, shutting her eyes.  
  
"I know that's what they always do Alex, but the annoying this is they started with out us," Ellen said, grabbing her wand  
  
"Where's Lily?" Alex said as she re-opened her eyes  
  
"See how you like a beak for a nose you pathetic Slytherin, calling me a mudblood I ought to"- Lily's voice came from the next compartment.  
  
"She's already in there," Ellen said with a mischievous grin "and teaching that guy a lesson I bet you."  
  
Lily came back through the divider door with all four Marauders, grinning like mad and winning hard claps on the back from the boys.  
  
"Sorry we left you out of that one guys," Lily said to her friends as she sat down next to Alex, forcing her to move her legs "but I just went next door to see what they were up to and Snape started picking on me as soon as I walked in the door! I mean, come on! So he's got a beak that'll take ages to go away."  
  
Alex snorted "You mean it looks worse than his nose does normally?"  
  
"I reckon it looks better," Sirius said, plonking himself down beside Ellen "although it is bright red now."  
  
"Anyway," Lily said, stretching her arms "that's sorted out now. He's not going to bother us for a while now."  
  
"Well definitely not you anyway Lily," James said poking her.  
  
"Yeah Lily, I had no idea you'd actually do that," Remus said from the other side of Ellen "you've never helped us out with a prank or doing what you call 'evil' stuff to the Slytherins."  
  
"That's right," Alex said, sitting up properly "you usually leave that for us to do," she motioned to herself and Ellen "and then you lecture me and Elle,"  
  
"Elle and I," Remus interrupted  
  
"about getting detention."  
  
"I don't know," Lily said, suddenly uncomfortable "it just seemed like he pushed it too far that time."  
  
"Don't sweat it," James said, putting an arm around her shoulder to give her a one sided hug "it's not like McGonagal'll believe it was you anyway."  
  
Lily suddenly felt all nice and warm, protected. That wasn't supposed to happen, James was always hugging her friends like that, why should she go all tingly? Her only response was a half-hearted smile up at him.  
  
"Anything from the cart dears?" The woman with the food cart was doing her rounds again.  
  
Lily's stomach growled in response.  
  
"Well I'd say 'yes' in that case!" the old lady said,  
  
"I haven't eaten all day," Lily said slightly embarrassed "I'll have three chocolate frogs thanks." She handed over the money and was swapped for the frogs and a piece of cake.  
  
"You'd best eat that too," the woman said, "it's not good for young girls to go around not eating, you're skinny enough as it is."  
  
The woman gave out the other's orders and then moved on, the cart considerably more empty.  
  
"We're never going to be able to play quidditch if we keep eating like this," Alex said, after finishing off her 'lunch'.  
  
"We won't even be able to get off the ground," Elle agreed  
  
"We'll snap our brooms!" Sirius said  
  
James shrugged "Doesn't really matter, I'll just give us training every single night. That should work it off."  
  
All seven of them were on the Griffindor quidditch team, which everyone else thought was quite biased as James was the captain and all his friends were picked. They shrugged it off mainly, except from when taunting came from the Slytherins of course. James was of course the Seeker, Sirius and Ellen were Beaters, Lily, Alex and Remus were Chasers and Peter was the Keeper. For such a small boy he could sure move when he was on a broom stick.  
  
"Hey, look, we're almost at the station," Peter said some time later that afternoon.  
  
The train slowed down and with a loud exhale of steam, stopped.  
  
"Well actually, we're here." Ellen said elbowing him.  
  
They quickly got into the horse-less carriages, and were off. Sirius, Alex, Lily and Remus were in one and Peter, James and Ellen were in the other, with a Ravenclaw who was quite friendly to them most of the time.  
  
"I got the window seat!" Sirius cheered as he got in  
  
"So did I," Alex said, sitting down infront of him "we all did. There's four windows dummy."  
  
"I'm not stupid," Sirius retorted happily, exchanging mindless banter with Alex was one of his favourite things to do as he knew it drove her mad.  
  
"I never said that, I said you were a dummy," Alex shot back  
  
"Not one of those either,"  
  
"No, no you're not, you're a blockhead,"  
  
"Speak for yourself dunce,"  
  
"Speak for YOURself imbecile,"  
  
"Brainless, doltish, witless," Sirius teased  
  
"Inane, obtuse, prosaic!" Alex said, kicking his shin.  
  
"Hey, no violence," Lily butted in and then went back to ignoring them and resumed talking to Remus.  
  
"Prosaic isn't a word," Sirius protested "and don't kick me."  
  
"It sure is, it means STUIPD, oops did I say that? I meant Sirius," she said "and you did too deserve to be kicked."  
  
"You're so dumb sometimes Alex,"  
  
"You're the dumb one,"  
  
"Ditzy blonde,"  
  
"I'm not even blonde! Look at this," she said, pulling her messy black plait over her shoulder "it's BLACK you smarmy git!"  
  
"So? You can be an inner blonde,"  
  
"Look, if anyone's an inner blonde it's YOU,"  
  
"Ha. At least I'm not a meek little Chaser!"  
  
"At least I'm not a boneheaded Beater!"  
  
And their banter continued the whole way up to the castle, Lily and Remus being just about ready to strangle them.  
  
"You hold up a good fight O' Flannery," Sirius said, holding out his hand after they got out of the carriages.  
  
"You too Black," she shook his hand "but I think I won this time."  
  
"Did not,"  
  
"Did too,"  
  
"SHUT UP!" Lily yelled "Just STOP IT. Neither of you won. You both acted as stupid as the other."  
  
Sirius and Alex took a step backwards from where they were standing, mocking Lily and then walked off up to the castle pushing and shoving each other.  
  
Remus shook his head "It's such a pity." He said under his breath  
  
"What is? What's a pity?" Lily said "They haven't worked it out yet." Remus grinned at her, and Lily instantly figured that she was never going to understand what he was on about.  
  
"Oh well, we'd best be off then," Lily replied, looking around for James and the others "hey Elle!" she yelled out "Drag James away would you-I want to eat!"  
  
Ellen looked up and began to pull James away from Christine, the Ravenclaw who happened to be her house's quidditch captain.  
  
"He's talking quidditch!" she said dramatically "I don't know if I can do it!" In the end she literally did drag him away, with Peter's help.  
  
"It's ok James," Lily said grinning up into his face when they came over "you'll have plenty of time to talk tactics later."  
  
"Uh huh," James said, suddenly at a loss for words. His stomach was doing turns as he looked down at Lily's smile. Shrugging he dismissed this as a result of the bumpy ride to the castle.  
  
"Come on 6th years!" Proffessor Mc Gonagal called out "Move it! The sorting ceremony has already taken place!"  
  
The group rushed inside the castle, and to the Great Hall, not wishing to get detention before classes had even started for the year. Lily was bushing as they entered the hall, everyone else was seated and looking at them expectantly. Quickly they found their places in the middle of the table, where they always sat.  
  
The banquet was already laid out and they instantly dug in.  
  
"Bet I can eat more than you Alex," Sirius said, not sick of teasing yet  
  
"Ha. Sure thing. You know what happened last time you bet me that." Alex said, eating some peas.  
  
"That's not important, I've perfected my eating skills now, lets go," he held out a hand.  
  
Alex shook it, also shaking her head "You're on loser."  
  
"This my friends," James said grandly to the others "is a recipe for disaster."  
  
In the end, after the main course, Dumbledore's speech and dessert, Alex and Sirius were still going, even though the rest of the hall was empty. Well except for their group of friends who stayed so it wouldn't end in a killing.  
  
"Can't," Alex said, biting into her fifth caramel tart "eat. Must. Eat."  
  
Sirius wasn't much better shape, and in the end when they were even James and Lily dragged their respective best friend out of the hall.  
  
"How stupid can they get?" Ellen said, watching their staggering progress up to the dorms.  
  
"The eternal question." Peter replied sleepily  
  
"We'll hopefully never know," James said as they got to the Fat Lady's painting.  
  
"Lumos," Remus said to the painting and she swung open to admit them.  
  
"See you tomorrow morning girls," James said yawning "hopefully those two will have quit competing by then."  
  
"Uh huh," Lily said, fighting back a yawn of her own "I don't think so. Goodnight guys."  
  
!!~~~!!~~~!!~~~!!  
  
A/N: Well there's the second chapter, please review people. I'm not going to continue for much longer if I don't get any reviews. Thanks to my first reviewer though, who is very much appreciated:D  
  
And remember, you review, I write more. The more reviews, the faster I write. Lets say.6 more reviews? It took me 6 pages of typing for this chapter so that seems about right!  
  
From Katherine 


	3. Chapter3

centerThe Importance of Being. . .Normal?center  
  
SUMMARY: Lily and her two best friends, Alex and Ellen are in their fifth year at Hogwarts. What will happen when Lily begins to get to know the Marauders better? Will the Slytherins manage to beat the Griffindors in the House Cup? Will the Marauders be able to win a bet with Alex? Or will they fail miserably?  
  
IChapter 3-Part 1I  
  
bNicknames and Nutcasesb  
  
"Alex!" Lily said loudly to her sleeping friend.  
  
"Alex get up!" Ellen said, prodding her with her wand. Alex simply slept on.  
  
It was after breakfast, and Alexandria O' Flannery was bstillb asleep.  
  
"Come on Alex," Ellen said whining "we'll be late for class. Really late. As in later than normal-come on!"  
  
"Lex, wake up!" Lily said, getting out her own wand.  
  
The black haired girl rolled over to her left side.  
  
"God Elle, for someone so active she sure can sleep!" Lily exclaimed "Seems I'd best take matters into my own hands."  
  
Lily muttered a few words and a fog of freezing cold air began to hover around Alex's face.  
  
"What the hell?" Alex said yawning  
  
"You wouldn't wake up," Lily informed her, getting rid of the fog as Alex got out of bed.  
  
"Alex." Ellen said, tapping her foot near the doorway of the dorm "You missed breakfast. We just missed Transfiguration, and we're halfway through missing Potions right now, so would you hurry up?"  
  
"God." Alex said, sleepily astonished "I slept that long hey. You guys could've just left me here you know."  
  
"No way Lex," Lily handed Alex her scarf "we wouldn't do that. Hurry up and get changed!"  
  
Alex dashed into the bathroom to change and returned in a record five minutes all ready to go.  
  
"Ta-da!" she said, grabbing her Potions books "And they're off!" Alex took off out of the dorms.  
  
"So I suppose now is when we're supposed to chase after her," Lily said dryly to Ellen  
  
"Suppose so. What've we got to loose?"  
  
They both shrugged and then started running in the direction of the dungeons.  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"So Rickshaw gave you all detention hey," Sirius was saying as he bit into his ham and cheese sandwich "serves you right for turning up just before class was going to end."  
  
Alex snorted, and as she was drinking pumpkin juice at that moment, it ended up in a coughing fit.  
  
"Sure Sirius, and you're such a darling angel." She said after she regained her composure.  
  
"Of course." Sirius smiled cheesily "Well it just so happens that we all have detention at the same time."  
  
"When bdon'tb you all have detention?" Ellen said sarcastically  
  
"Well there was that one week in our first year when we only had one, I think it was, for the whole week." Peter said thoughtfully.  
  
"Ahuh, well my point is," Ellen said gesturing with a stick of celery "that if we all start with this dreadful detention craze, we're going to get no time to do homework."  
  
"Or train for quidditch." Alex said, helping herself to a sandwich of Sirius' plate.  
  
"Hey! Get your own food." He said indignantly  
  
"Sorry-too lazy to get up." Alex said smiling "Besides you've already eaten three."  
  
"I'm growing!"  
  
"Yeah your head is,"  
  
"Alex, Sirius," James said quite seriously "as enjoyable as your fights are to watch, you reckon you could lay off it for now? Where's Lily?"  
  
"Huh?" Remus said, looking over at the other tables "I thought she came to lunch with us."  
  
"She'll turn up," Alex said, unconcernedly "she's probably just gone for a walk. She was pretty stressed out about the detention and all. Dunno why though. We survive and we get them all the time."  
  
"Isn't this like her second one ever?" Ellen asked nobody in particular  
  
"Probably is," James said standing up "I'm going to go look for her, save us seats in Herbology."  
  
"Sure mate." Sirius said, saluting "Hey Flannie, you guys missed out on a brilliant Transfiguration lesson."  
  
"Really?" Alex said, a little blasé "And don't call me Flannie. You know I hate that."  
  
"But why shouldn't I call you Flannie, Flannie?"  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
"Hey Lily wait up!" James called, chasing her as she was walking towards the Griffindor Dormitory. Startled, Lily turned, her eyes wide as she heard James calling.  
  
"Hey, Lily," James panted, slightly out of breath  
  
"Hi," Lily replied a little shyly  
  
"Just wanted to make sure you're ok," James said as he regained his breath "you just disappeared, I was worried."  
  
Lily smiled, unconscious of the radical transformation this did to her facial feature. Suddenly her face was aglow as she displayed her perfect teeth in her pretty smile. James stepped closer.  
  
"That's lovely James," Lily said quietly "but,"-  
  
James looked down into her eyes and saw something he was hoping to see, yet it freaked him out completely.  
  
"Don't finish," he breathed, realising he was going to do something that was either going to turn out really dumb or really good.  
  
The pair's lips moved closer and closer, until. . .  
  
~~~!!~~~!!~~~!!~~~  
  
A/N: Yes I know that's a terrible cliffy, and that the chapter is AMAZINGLY short, but it's my first day back at school today, and my computer time has been cut down drastically. Review as always (I never give up hope of reviews), and I'll have part 2 of the chapter up tomorrow! Read and Review. Read and Review. * chants *  
  
Also, I'd just like to say, this is my first attempt at using the 'tags' to edit this, so if they didn't work, many apologies, and if someone could help-it'd be very helpful!  
  
From Katherine. 


	4. Chapter3 part2

The Importance of Being. . .Normal?  
  
SUMMARY: Lily and her two best friends, Alex and Ellen are in their fifth year at Hogwarts. What will happen when Lily begins to get to know the Marauders better? Will the Slytherins manage to beat the Griffindors in the House Cup? Will the Marauders be able to win a bet with Alex? Or will they fail miserably?  
  
  
  
Chapter 3-Part 2  
  
Nicknames and Nutcases  
  
"That's lovely James," Lily said quietly "but,"-  
  
James looked down into her eyes and saw something he was hoping to see, yet it freaked him out completely.  
  
"Don't finish," he breathed, realising he was going to do something that was either going to turn out really dumb or really good.  
  
The pair's lips moved closer and closer, until. . .  
  
They finally met, brushing lightly against each other. James moved to put a hand behind Lily's head to deepen this kiss, but she broke away, almost hesitantly.  
  
"Shouldn't have let you do that," her voice came out all croaky and she instantly blushed at the sound of it.  
  
"Why not," James said quietly, feeling like a complete idiot  
  
"Because I can't fall in love or like you or whatever," Lily blabbered "you're James Potter, quidditch captain, and I'm Lily Evans, Chaser. It wouldn't work. Besides I can't fall in love or whatever with anyone."  
  
"But. . .I thought you liked me Lily," James said, wounded "you're telling me one thing and your eyes are telling me the complete opposite."  
  
"I never said I didn't like you," Lily replied, hating her truthful eyes at that moment "but I can't like you, that's all."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Because. I'll just get my heart broken." Lily replied stubbornly.  
  
"I'd never do that to you Lily," James said softly, looking deep into her eyes  
  
"Sure you say you wouldn't, but you've got a reputation James Potter, whether you accept it or not, and I intend to keep myself from the possible pain."  
  
"Oh. . ." James said, taken aback by her display of maturity "how bout we just go to class then. But promise you'll consider letting me do that again, just say the words. It's up to you."  
  
"Alright then, thank you James. Most other guys would have just started yelling at me or something." Lily replied, glad of James' offer to back off.  
  
"To Herbology then!" James said pointing in the direction of the greenhouses, and started dragging her after him.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"He did WHAT?" Ellen exclaimed later that day, after dinner when the girls were safely away from the Marauders hearing range, in their dorm.  
  
"Yep. But he offered to not do it again until I say so," Lily said diffidently, brushing knots out of her wavy red hair.  
  
"I don't know why you're so "oh my god" about this Elle," Alex said, leafing casually through her book on quidditch matches to be played that season "what's the big deal, the guy acts like a prat and takes advantage of the most innocent girl at Hogwarts, no offence Lily, and then acts all 'nicey-nicey' about it? Doesn't sound like anyone's knight in shining armour to me. Well, not a sane persons' anyway." She said as an afterthought.  
  
"It doesn't matter anyway," Lily yawned, "it's not like I'm going to ask him to do it again anyway."  
  
"Why not?" Ellen said, eyes wide in shock "I would! Actually, I read something about this sort of thing in a quiz the other day. . .I wonder where that magazine got to. . ." she began to dig through her trunk at the end of her bed.  
  
"Come off it Elle, we've all heard every single quiz you've ever read. We don't need our brains poisoned more!" Alex protested, as Ellen triumphantly found what she was looking for.  
  
"Shut up Lex," Ellen said laughing, as Alex literally hid away from her and the magazine "or should I say Flannie?"  
  
"Don't call me that Ellen." Alex said flatly, all trace of humour suddenly sucked out of her voice.  
  
"Why not? Sirius does." Ellen said, dashing across the room in case Alex decided to try and punch her.  
  
"So? I get up him too," Alex protested  
  
"Not as crabbily as you got up me just then, I think you have a soft spot for him Lex." Ellen declared  
  
"That'd never work," Lily said coming to Alex's defence before she could fling her book at Ellen "they're good friends, and they fight so much. Besides, Sirius told me on the train that he thinks of Lex here as his little sister."  
  
"I'm not little!" Alex said indignantly  
  
"Whatever he reckons," Ellen said, ignoring both of them "you're both nutcases if you can't see it."  
  
"Ellen." Alex said, flatly "those magazines are killing your mind. Sirius Black does not, and never will like me. I'm too Me." She smiled twistedly; she knew that was all too true.  
  
"Well, I'm going to bed now guys," Lily said, blowing out a candle and getting into bed "goodnight."  
  
"'Night Mrs Potter. 'Night Mrs Black," Ellen teased, ducking quickly from the barrage of pillows that were thrown her way in response. "Sorry, sorry! I'll stop I promise."  
  
"Good." Lily said as she fell sound asleep.  
  
~~~!!~~~!!~~~!!~~~  
  
A/N: Well there's part 2! Sorry about this chapter being cut up and all, school is such a pain! And plus it's way cold here right now, and my fingers are like freezing as I type! Ok, enough whinging. Read and Review!!! It's a pity it takes a good cliffy to make people review hey, but, if you review, I promise I'll try not to ever do a cliffy again? Also, I'm just sooo proud now. I have officially un - G rated this!! Yay! Not that it was ever not a PG fic, but hey. Read and Review!!  
  
From Katherine. (P.S Sorry this is short, but on average I'm typing up 6 pages per chapter, and this has been two lots of 3 for this one, so I'm right on average! () 


	5. Chapter4

The Importance of Being. . .Normal?  
  
SUMMARY: Lily and her two best friends, Alex and Ellen are in their fifth year at Hogwarts. What will happen when Lily begins to get to know the Marauders better? Will the Slytherins manage to beat the Griffindors in the House Cup? Will the Marauders be able to win a bet with Alex? Or will they fail miserably?  
  
  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Reasonable Reckoning  
  
Late afternoon on the next day, when Ellen and Alex were off pranking the Slytherins with the Marauders, Lily went out to the quidditch pitch to lie on the grass and relax. Ever since she'd told Ellen and Alex about James' little mistake with his kiss, Elle hadn't left her alone about it, despite constantly promising not to tease her.  
  
"Why won't she just get over it?" Lily said aloud, as she looked up at the clouds from where she was lying on her back looking up at the sky. "Why won't they just accept that I don't have to rush to his side like the other girls and just end up getting my heart broken?"  
  
She sighed disheartedly "It'd kinda help if I didn't like him though. But I do. Possibly every female in this whole school likes him for god sakes. But I'm scared. Totally freaked out by the possibility that for once, James Potter could actually be a long term boy friend to someone."  
  
For a while she laid silently, thinking completely confused. Then she started laughing quietly at herself, realising how stupid it must have looked for her to be talking to the sky. Her laughter became harder and more hysterical, as a great relief washed over her.  
  
"Well this is no good," a voice came from somewhere behind her "now you're definitely one of us. Laughing madly constitutes as being as normal as we are."  
  
"Shut up Remus," Lily managed to splutter, still chuckling "aren't you supposed to be off pranking people?"  
  
"Yeah," he said offhandedly, sitting down near her "but we've finished. Elle said you were a bit shirty with her today after Divination, so she sent me to see if you're ok."  
  
"Oh." Lily finally sobered "I hope she isn't mad at me, I really didn't mean to go off like that. . .I've had a lot to think about. And is does act like an idiot sometimes."  
  
"I believe your exact words were 'stupid, ditzy brunette who has no common sense'. It's pretty mild actually. Even Peter can string more mean words together!" Remus exclaimed  
  
"What ever." Lily said, pulling at some grass.  
  
"So. Are you alright?"  
  
"Hmm, yeah I think so. Just had to work out what I'm going to do that's all." Lily said, flopping back down onto the grass  
  
"About James?" Remus laughed at Lily's shocked expression "Yes I do know about that Lily, us guys do talk, just like you and your best friends do. So what are you going to do?"  
  
Lily shrugged "Ignore it until it goes away. I like him and he likes me, but I'm not going out with him until he proves he can act like someone who's not in it for a few quick snogging sessions, if you'll mind my terminology."  
  
"Oh. I thought you'd say that. Don't worry, I have a feeling James is going to be trying real hard not to act like so much of a prat now." Remus stood up and brushed of his robes "Ready to go in yet? It's getting late."  
  
Lily stood up as well and took a glance at the sunset "I just hope I'm doing the right thing. It's not like I can change anything now."  
  
"It'll be ok Lily. Come on or we'll miss out on dinner."  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"You're kidding." James said flatly as he paced around the almost empty common room. "How am I supposed to act like someone who will be long term if I don't go out with anyone?"  
  
"Shh-James, she's in the room having a shower. She has ear drums you know," Ellen said hushing him "and I have no idea."  
  
James finally stopped pacing as it was beginning to irritate even him.  
  
"Shove over Sirius," he said, moving to sit down on the couch next to him. Elle was sprawled with her legs over the arm of the armchair, Alex was sitting on the floor drawing up quidditch diagrams, and Remus and Peter were looking up a spell for a prank in the library.  
  
"Fine! I'm going to annoy Alex anyway," he got up and sat down across from Alex on the floor and instantly started teasing her about being a "meek little Chaser".  
  
"So I suppose you're going to be asking me about this now hey," Elle said dryly, noticing James' pointed look. "Alright, well you obviously can't go out with anyone else, that'd just be suicide. She just needs to know she can trust you fully. So that's what you've got to do, gain her complete trust."  
  
"That all hey," James said sarcastically, running a hand through his hair and messing it up even more "and how do you suppose I do that?"  
  
"I don't know-that's for you to figure out! But just remember, if you mess with her, you mess with me and Alex."  
  
"Alright, alright Mother Hen." James laughed, "I'll be nice. It's not like I want to hurt her or anything."  
  
"That is true." Ellen conceded, "You'll make a great couple."  
  
"If Lily'll let us be."  
  
"Also true."  
  
"Elle?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Stop agreeing with me."  
  
"Ok-I mean, no." Elle grinned wickedly, ducking as James threw a quill at her head.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
A/N: I was going to leave it there, but I think I can write a bit more.school is such a pain.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"Blockhead."  
  
"Weakling."  
  
Sirius and Alex's name-calling was getting louder.  
  
"For pity's sake-will you two get over it?" James said, turning away from Ellen for the moment to address his fighting best friend and his cousin.  
  
"Nope!" They both said at the same time, before going back to their argument almost happily.  
  
"Smarmy git." Alex said  
  
"Fairy dust for brains." Sirius shot back.  
  
"Mongulated duck." Alex replied, laughing as soon as the words left her lips.  
  
"What the?" Sirius said before cracking up laughing as well. "Mongulated duck, that's a new one." He managed to say through his laughter.  
  
"Lex, maybe you should ease up on the ink-I think it's sending you a little bit high." Ellen mock scolded her.  
  
"Just say it Elle," Sirius said, grabbing one of her feet that were dangling over the arm of the armchair "it makes you laugh. Come onnnn, say it!"  
  
"Fine, fine. I'm much above all this you do realise." Ellen said pretending to be a snob, but loosing her composure and started laughing before she could almost spit out "Mongulated duck!"  
  
"What on earth is going on in here?" Lily said, coming down the stairs dressed in her pyjamas and her hair still damp.  
  
"They have. . .issues." James said, gesturing to the three hysterical friends now all on the floor, as Ellen had laughed so hard she'd fell off her seat.  
  
"I'm sure they do." Lily said with a raised eyebrow as she took up Ellen's armchair.  
  
"What was the Transfiguration homework?" she asked James, the only coherent one in the room.  
  
"Just summarise chapter three. It's easy."  
  
"Alright then," Lily said dashing back up the stairs to return with her books.  
  
She shook her head, "God they're still at it. Oops. That sounded wrong. . .I mean, God they're still laughing."  
  
James chuckled at her "Yeah they are. Complete nutters the lot of them."  
  
"Yep that'd be about right."  
  
So the night wore on, Lily sitting scratching away with her quill trying to concentrate on her homework despite Sirius, Elle and Alex laughing their heads off at anything anyone said. Once or twice they stopped, but started again instantly when Lily asked them if they were "Normal now or if they were waiting until someone handed them back their sanity on a silver platter."  
  
"Lily,"  
  
She looked up, startled to see James still sitting there, watching her work.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I was just wondering if you'd like to go for a walk for a bit before you go to bed," James said, trying to sound like a friend and not someone who desperately wanted to kiss her at that exact moment.  
  
"Um. . .yeah. Just let me finish this." Lily said, blowing on her last paragraph of drying ink.  
  
"Alright then." James said, trying to sound nonchalant and attempting to hide his smile that would have revealed him as the cat that ate the canary.  
  
"Sirius, and. . .could you please keep it down? I've got to get some beauty sleep around this place you know," a new voice came from the girl's dorm staircase.  
  
"God. Anyone but Chrissie." Lily muttered as she looked up to see the plastic-y looking 7th year enter the common room, swishing her flowing dressing gown artfully as she walked down the stairs.  
  
"Nah, sorry Chrissie-we're having too much fun." Sirius said, finally stopping laughing for longer than five seconds.  
  
"Surely you couldn't be having that much fun with . . .them," Chrissie said, leaning over in front of Sirius where he sat on the floor, her low necked nightgown revealing a fair bit.  
  
Alex stood up, crossing her arms "'Them' have names. Alex O' Flannery and Ellen Rockswell. And believe it or not, talking to people, people as in YOUR FRIENDS and not trying to seduce good looking guys all the time can actually be FUN. So why don't you walk your stupid whore backside back up to your room and get out of our faces."  
  
"But"- Chrissie spluttered, realising that Alex was really annoyed and not one to mess with. Finally. It's not like it took that much brains.  
  
"Just go Christina. And if you ever try and be a little feral and seduce one of my friends like that by showing off your chest I swear I'll inflict serious damage to your face." Alex said icily.  
  
Chrissie emitted a funny little sound that sounded a lot like "eep" and dashed back up the stairs, almost tripping on her over sized dressing gown.  
  
"God Alex you didn't have to be like that," Ellen said from where she still sat, half stunned on the floor next to Sirius.  
  
"Yeah I did. She's always like that." Alex muttered, offering a hand to help Sirius up "Stupid whore." She muttered under her breath.  
  
"You think she'd realise she isn't going to get far, what with my own personal protector here," Sirius said offhandedly, "she's been at it since we came here. I'm two years younger than her. . .besides, I like my girls with brains."  
  
Ellen raised an eyebrow "And with a mind of their own?"  
  
"Yeah sure, that's good."  
  
"Sounds a lot like someone I know," Elle said, giving Alex a pointed look.  
  
"No way Elle, you're going to shut up RIGHT NOW." Alex said giving her a venomous look.  
  
"Fine fine, don't get your wand in a bend."  
  
"So," James said, trying to get Lily's attention away from the argument about to unfold "shall we be off before it's way too late?"  
  
"Alright." Lily gathered her dressing gown around her, covering her men's style flannel pyjamas.  
  
~~~!!~~~!!~~~!!~~~!!~~~  
  
A/N: Well there's chapter 4 up and finished! Please review, or guess what, I'll bring out the evil cliffhangers again! Teeheehee! Thanks to all who've reviewed so far, and I hope this chapter has cleared up some things.I'm trying to actually give Lily some sense when it comes to going out with James, so bare with me, cause he's going to have to win her over, not just sweep her off her feet. Read and Review * chants * Read and Review!  
  
Righty-o! From Katherine.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to Harry Potter, that's JK Rowling turf! I only own Alexandria (Alex, Lex, or Flannie) O' Flannery, Ellen Rockswell, Proffessor Rickshaw and Christina (Chrissie). I'm also going to say that I take rights for the phrase "mongulated duck". In case you're thinking "what the?!" it's pronounced "Mong-U-lay-ted Duck". 


	6. Chapter5

The Importance of Being. . Normal?  
  
  
  
SUMMARY: Lily and her two best friends, Alex and Ellen are in their fifth year at Hogwarts. What will happen when Lily begins to get to know the Marauders better? Will the Slytherins manage to beat the Griffindors in the House Cup? Will the Marauders be able to win a bet with Alex? Or will they fail miserably?  
  
  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Chances, Chances.  
  
"Hey-slow down a bit James!" Lily protested as she was dragged out of the Griffindor common room forcibly.  
  
"Sorry," James apologised as he steered her down the corridor at a slightly slower pace "I just want to get away from the common room before they figure out that we're gone."  
  
"Yeah that'd be bad. . .they'd probably try and sneak up and do something stupid. It's not like we're going to make out or anything."  
  
James' heart sunk. Although he knew all too well that Lily wouldn't consent to that, he hadn't given up hope yet.  
  
"Yeah, that'd be stupid hey." He replied, trying to laugh it off.  
  
"So, where are we going?" Lily said as they turned yet another corner and went down another flight of stairs.  
  
"Somewhere that means people, namely those who we call friends, can't interrupt."  
  
"Ahuh. Alrighty then. . ." Lily replied reluctantly.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
  
  
"But you just said"- Ellen protested  
  
"I never said anything!" Alex retorted  
  
"Oh yes you did. You said a lot infact. You told off Chrissie for trying to seduce good-looking guys, and not to try and seduce your friends. I think this means,"  
  
"Don't you dare analyse me." Alex demanded, getting more annoyed by the second.  
  
Sirius glanced from one girl to the other. The taller, willowy black haired girl with the messy braid dwarfed the small brunette with a mischievous grin on her face.  
  
"Ok, I'm out of here." He said, dashing up to his dorm.  
  
"It means you think Sirius is good looking." Ellen said with a smirk.  
  
"I never said that!" Alex said indignantly "Just drop it Elle."  
  
"But it's true, and you like him too."  
  
"I'm warning you," Alex threatened her friend. She started up the boys' staircase.  
  
"Where are you going little Miss?" Elle said with a raised eyebrow  
  
"To get Sirius,"  
  
"Oh really?"  
  
"Not like that you feral!" Alex retorted "I'm going to get him so we can go spy on Lily and James. That'd be more interesting than listening to your analogies."  
  
"But I'm right," Ellen said, realising she was pushing it a little too far.  
  
"I'm sorry about this Elle," Alex said, going back down the stairs again "but- Petrificus Totalus!" Ellen instantly went into a full body bind, lying helplessly on the floor. "Sorry about this but it's the best thing. It's either this or me hurting you." She shrugged and ran up the stairs to knock on the dorm door.  
  
"Sirius?" she called  
  
"What?" Sirius replied  
  
"Is that a girl? She's not supposed to be going into our dorm!" An unfamiliar voice of one of Sirius's roommates said nervously.  
  
"It's only Flannie," Sirius said diffidently. "What is it Alex?" he said, sticking his head out of the door.  
  
"Just wanted to see if you wanted to come spy on Lily and James with us, well me now." Alex said "Ellen's kinda bound up at the moment." She said as an after thought.  
  
"Ah, so you did get fed up." Sirius said, opening the door to admit his friend who hung in the doorway. He rustled through a trunk and came out with a single piece of parchment.  
  
"Alright-are we going now?" Alex asked, tapping her short fingernails on the doorway "They're probably getting away and we won't be able to find them."  
  
Sirius grinned wickedly, making Alex very, Very glad she didn't melt like the other girls did "Not while we've got this," he waved the parchment in the air "lets go."  
  
"What IS that?" Alex asked as they walked down the corridor stealthily  
  
"This my friend," Sirius said grandly "is the Marauders Map. You know that! I can't believe James left it behind for me to find."  
  
Alex chuckled "Neither can I. I have a feeling whatever he's doing he won't want us to find out about it. Or at least not me."  
  
Sirius elbowed her "Yeah that's only because you'd be the first to bash him up."  
  
Alex started to laugh in agreement, but quickly stopped "Are you inferring I just go around belting people up?"  
  
"Noooo, you just have a habit of making your point known. Which ever way it might take to make it know." Sirius said defensively.  
  
Alex shrugged "Whatever."  
  
"Hey look, they're right in the next corridor. . ." Sirius glanced at the map again.  
  
"Shh- be quiet, I think I can hear them," Alex said softly as they rounded the corner, hiding behind a suit of armour.  
  
"I bet you didn't really do that," Lily was laughing  
  
"I did. It was so embarrassing, afterwards Sirius called me Tomato Head for a week." James was saying back.  
  
"I remember that," Sirius whispered "he asked the Head Girl out in the first year, and she completely humiliated him."  
  
"I remember that too," Alex whispered back sarcastically "I've hung out with you guys since I was six."  
  
"I never said I didn't know that, I was just saying that I remember it." Sirius said defensively  
  
"Sure sure, now can we just be quiet and listen in? We can continue this anytime." Alex said, silencing him.  
  
"And then there was that time when Alex was made to wear a dress to my fifth birthday party. That was so funny, you should have seen her-she was totally hilarious looking." James said and Lily responded with another bout of laughter.  
  
Sirius looked at Alex to see her tanned face covered with fury, but in the shadows her hazel eyes seemed misted with hurt and sadness. He'd never seen this before, and simply dismissed it as something to do with the shadows.  
  
Suddenly she looked over into his face and for most likely the first time in her life, displayed a slight girl-ish tendency as her cheeks turned a light red. Alex did a little sigh, flicked her braid over her shoulder and looked away, suddenly very shy to meet his eyes. Sirius had never seen Alex in this light before.  
  
With the light shadows cast over her face, her features seemed very prominent and pretty, not at all like normal, when her head was always carried jauntily and proudly. She looked back at him shyly, hazel eyes cautious and actually, another first, looking scared.  
  
Without a thought about it, Sirius moved to kiss her. Alex, however, pulled back suddenly before their lips could meet, not understanding why her friend who she thought would always just be her friend would try and kiss her, and hit her head on the suit of armour behind her.  
  
"Ow!" she exclaimed, rubbing her head, the moment broken in a split second.  
  
"Shh! They'll hear," Sirius said, motioning to the two figures, very glad that the shadows were most likely covering most of his own blushing. 'God, what's came over me,' he thought angrily to himself 'this is Alex, ALEX, Alex as in my friend. I'm so stupid.'  
  
Alex nodded, sitting down, quiet once more but more determined to act like normal than ever.  
  
"Lily. . ." they could just make out James' voice above the whisper of the wind through the corridor.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Do you trust me?"  
  
"Of course I do James," she replied without thinking, as the question had surprised her.  
  
"Then why won't you let me. . ." James lent down so their faces were very very close.  
  
Lily tilted her face up to look into James' eyes properly "I don't know,"  
  
"You know you'll never find out if it'll work out until you try,"  
  
"Yes I know that."  
  
"Then why not? Just one kiss, just one." James said softly  
  
Lily shook her head.  
  
"You can't possibly tell me that you didn't feel anything last time," James said, praying she had "you know we're meant to be together. I know you do."  
  
"I did," Lily blushed  
  
"Then why not try it again,"  
  
Alex whipped out her wand and muttered something, waving her wand at the same time hoping not to draw attention to herself too much.  
  
Suddenly James found his hair was unbelievably itchy, and finally moved a bit away from Lily, scratching at his head.  
  
Alex snorted "That'll teach him for trying to push Lily into something." She stood up "Hey Lily!" she called out "You've got to come back to the dorms-it's getting really late."  
  
Lily looked up, startled "Oh, sure Lex," she reversed Alex's hex "Come on James, you don't need anymore detentions."  
  
"You've got that right," James replied dryly "speaking of detentions, aren't you girls joining us for detention tomorrow night?"  
  
Alex grinned, "Sure are."  
  
"I can't believe it's only your second one Lily," Sirius said, walking beside Alex, elbowing her "you've been friends with this ruffian for awhile now."  
  
"Ruffian hey?" Alex said, elbowing him back "At least I'm not"-  
  
"Don't start Lex," James said, moving to clamp a hand over her mouth "It's just too late."  
  
She ripped his hand away "Alright. But make him promise to shut up too." "Ha. You could never shut me up." Sirius teased, dashing off towards the dorms. Alex stared after him for a split second then took off after him in hot pursuit.  
  
"They're shockers." Lily laughed, as she and James walked quickly to the dorms.  
  
"They sure are. . ." James trailed off as they approached the Fat Lady "Sword Fight." He said, and the painting swung open.  
  
"G'night James," Lily said yawing, pulling her dressing gown more tightly around herself.  
  
"G'night Lily. Are you sure you won't?"-  
  
"Not yet. Be patient." She said softly as she walked up the staircase leaving him very much alone in the common room.  
  
  
  
~~~!!~~~!!~~~!!~~~!!~~~  
  
A/N: Ok, I know that chapter's a little bit shorter than the rest, but I've been away last night, and yeah. I just really wanted to get this one up today. . .I'm dead tired, and yep-that's about it! Read and review * chants * Read and Review! (I love my chant. . .) Thanks for the reviews so far, and I'm glad people actually like my original characters. . . The quicker and more you review, I will honestly write faster. I've got school and all, but I'm sure I can type up a whole chapter each night, or every second night if I'm too busy to do it all in one night. Read and Review! (Or the cliffys come out and I'm good at getting really evil ones. . .-what a bad threat. . .)  
  
From Katherine. 


	7. Chapter6

The Importance of Being. . .Normal?  
  
SUMMARY: Lily and her two best friends, Alex and Ellen are in their fifth year at Hogwarts. What will happen when Lily begins to get to know the Marauders better? Will the Slytherins manage to beat the Griffindors in the House Cup? Will the Marauders be able to win a bet with Alex? Or will they fail miserably?  
  
Chapter 6 Part 1.  
  
Dramatizing. . . . . . . . .Detention!  
  
"Thank god," Ellen sighed as she, Lily and Alex dashed into their potions classroom just on time "we made it."  
  
"It's not that bigger deal Elle," Alex said, opening her book "we've been on time before."  
  
"Yeah, Lily's been on time before. We, however, have been on time like a whole grand total of three times." Ellen said thoughtfully trying to remember those odd occasions.  
  
"So what," Alex demanded, she'd been in a fairly irritable mood all day and she absolutely hated Potions "you never want to turn up cause Rickshaw doesn't let you read your magazines and I hate Potions and Rickshaw."  
  
"Miss O'Flannery?" Professor Rickshaw had entered the dungeons unseen and was tapping on Alex's desk, irritated already-never a good sign.  
  
"I mean, come on, how many of us are really going to go around making Potions after we graduate? Not me. I'm going to play quidditch and never think about this damned class ever again." Alex continued, oblivious to the Professor standing in front of her.  
  
"Alexandria. O'Flannery."  
  
"What?!" Alex exclaimed, finally turning away from facing Ellen "God! You shouldn't sneak up on people like that-your face is enough to scare the wits out of anyone!"  
  
"Alexandria, please go outside, and you have detention." The professor's voice was carefully measured, as it always was when she was totally annoyed.  
  
"What's new about that? And for the love of all things that don't have anything to do with Potions-my name, is ALEX!"  
  
"Go!"  
  
"Fine!"  
  
"Now Alexandria!"  
  
"Don't worry! I'm ggggoing!" Alex said sarcastically "It's not like I was looking forward to this stupid class anyway!"  
  
"Alexandria, O' Flannery, unless you wish to be sent to the headmaster-GO OUTSIDE NOW!"  
  
Alex got up and stalked out of the dungeon, muttering bad language at length. She exited the room, but after a second, stuck her head back in to yell, "My name is ALEX!"  
  
The class sat silent, completely in shocked awe. Professor Rickshaw seemed shaken as she instructed the class to begin making the potion laid out of them. In the row behind Ellen and Lily, Sirius sat with the other Marauders, grinning his head off. He knew Alex had a temper, but not quite this bad.  
  
"Mr Black? Is there a reason why you are smiling like a loon and not starting on the potion with your group members?" Sirius had caught the Professor's careful eye.  
  
"No Professor. . .absolutely nothing."  
  
"Then get on with it."  
  
Sirius nodded, and started helping James and Remus with the potion. Peter watched on, trying to take it all in.  
  
Outside the dungeon, Alex lent against the cold stonewall, absolutely fuming. Everything was going wrong. Everything. She'd woken up on time, for once, which most people would think as a good thing, but it damaged her "late" reputation. Then she hadn't felt like eating breakfast because she wasn't used to not eating in a hurry. And now, her stupid potions teacher had given her yet another detention. She groaned in fury, banging her head against the stone wall. Alex tried to move away from the wall, but found her long black hair was caught on a notch, causing her to yelp with pain.  
  
"Stupid hair!" she said pulling at it angrily "I should just cut it off. It's useless."  
  
Sighing, she sat on the freezing cold stairs, hoping Potions would go quickly. Sitting without doing anything wasn't exactly her strong point.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
"Thank goodness that's over," Lily whispered to Ellen as they packed away the ingredients into the storage cupboard "I wonder how Alex's is doing."  
  
"She'll be fine. She's just really crabby today," Ellen heaved the heavy door shut "although it was pretty funny."  
  
Lily nodded, and burst out laughing as soon as they got outside the door.  
  
"Hi Alex," Lily said to her still angry looking friend "Ellen, take the guys away. I want to talk to Alex for a bit alright?" she said quietly to Elle  
  
"Sure thing. Hey guys!" Elle herded them off, walking ahead of Lily and Alex towards the Great Hall.  
  
"So Alex, are you alright?" Lily asked casually  
  
"I hate being asked that. And you know I'm not exactly going to tell the truth anyway." Alex retorted.  
  
"Well, I just thought I'd try. Perhaps I'll get someone else to try and talk to you. Sirius maybe." Lily teased her  
  
Alex stopped walking "Don't you dare Lily Evans. Just don't you dare. He's one of my best friends-nothing's ever going to change that."  
  
"Alright then," Lily said, rebuffed, only understanding half of what Alex was telling her "we'll back off then."  
  
"Good. Lets eat."  
  
* * * * * *  
  
"God, you guys think you're all so good don't you," Ellen laughed as the guys bragged about nothing in particular  
  
"Hell yeah-we're the best." Sirius said, attempting to flex a muscle.  
  
"There's not much there mate," Ellen said with a raised eyebrow "you guys over rate yourselves."  
  
"We do not." James said, almost offended.  
  
"Fine. I'll have a bet with all of you then, just between you guys and me." Ellen said, leaning in to talk to them before Alex and Lily approached  
  
"What is it Elle," Remus said dryly  
  
"I bet, that none of you guys can get your dream girls." Ellen said with satisfaction. She'd put a fair bit of thought into this "If you's win, I'll ask Snape out. If you's don't, even one of you, well you all have to do a dare of my choice. I'll give you one week." She grinned mischievously.  
  
"You're on." James said, shaking hands with the small girl "But on one condition,"  
  
~~~!!~~~!!~~~!!~~~!!~~~  
  
A/N: I know it's short, and many apologies for that, but I'm kinda sick, and yeah. It's only half of the chapter, and I'll update as soon as I have time. When I get better, and school sorts itself out, I'll upload complete chapters, so I don't have these silly little cliffies in the middle of nowhere. Read and Review * chants * Read and Review! (P.S A HUGE-a-MUNGUS thanks to all who've reviewed so far!)  
  
From Katherine. 


	8. Chapter6part2

The Importance of Being. . .Normal?  
  
  
  
SUMMARY: Lily and her two best friends, Alex and Ellen are in their fifth year at Hogwarts. What will happen when Lily begins to get to know the Marauders better? Will the Slytherins manage to beat the Griffindors in the House Cup? Will the Marauders be able to win a bet with Alex? Or will they fail miserably?  
  
Chapter 6-Part 2.  
  
  
  
Dramatizing. . . . . . . . .Detention!  
  
  
  
"I bet, that none of you guys can get your dream girls." Ellen said with satisfaction. She'd put a fair bit of thought into this "If you's win, I'll ask Snape out. If you's don't, even one of you, well you all have to do a dare of my choice. I'll give you one week." She grinned mischievously.  
  
"You're on." James said, shaking hands with the small girl "But on one condition,"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You have to promise to keep your mouth shut about it. No accidentally blurting out to Lily that it's all a bet. She'd never trust me in a million years then."  
  
Ellen nodded "I promise."  
  
Lily and Alex came over to where the others where sitting. Lily moved to sit next to Alex and then thought better of it. Sure she was one of her best friends, but when Alex was in a bad mood, it would be better for her and everyone else if they gave Alex a bit of distance. It wasn't a normal occasion for Alex to get into a really bad mood, just a "once in a blue moon" type of thing.  
  
Even Sirius knew not to push it when she was like this. He handed her a huge plate of ham and cheese sandwiches. "Want some?" he offered  
  
Alex simply nodded and took three of the sandwiches "Thanks."  
  
Sirius grinned at her before turning back to talk to Peter. Alex groaned inwardly, why was it that she had to get a crush on her best friend? She ate her food slowly, picking at the crusts. It'd be so much easier if he didn't think of her as his little sister.  
  
So, instead of getting all depressed about her current "situation", she just got really angry because this was something she couldn't tell anyone about, and it wasn't exactly like they could help her anyway.  
  
* * * * * * * *  
  
The rest of the day passed much without a problem, unless you count Sirius getting a detention from Professor McGonagal, but that was nothing out of the ordinary.  
  
"Detention time," Ellen said grabbing her scarf and putting on her cloak  
  
"No way," Alex groaned "can't I just not go and stay here and sleep?"  
  
Ellen looked over at her friend, who was sprawled over her bed, looking dead and dejected.  
  
"No." she said firmly "You've got to come. Move it, Lily's waiting in the common room."  
  
"Alright, alright, don't get your wand in a bend," Alex said, getting up slowly and walking towards the door even slower.  
  
"Come on Lex!" Ellen said impatiently "We've put up with your stupid mood all day, the least you could do is stop being so dumb."  
  
"Oh," Alex said, and stopped walking "I have been pretty stupid hey. Sorry." She attempted a smile "I'll try and be normal."  
  
"Good," Ellen said, closing the door behind them.  
  
"Finally!" Lily said as she watched her friends come down the staircase "I thought you guys were never going to come." She turned and went to the boys' staircase "Come on guys! Detention time!" she yelled to them.  
  
Like a herd of elephants they thundered down the stairs.  
  
"We're going to have to run," Remus said, looking at his pocket watch "we're almost late."  
  
And so, the Griffindor quidditch team ran madly down to the Great Hall, where they were supposed to meet.  
  
"You're lucky, you lot are," Filch sort of growled, "a second later and you'd all be coming back again."  
  
"Yeah, yeah," Alex said, used to Filch's threats "lets just get this over with."  
  
Filch narrowed his eyes at her, but didn't take the conversation further.  
  
"Alright," he said diffidently "you" he pointed a grubby finger at Alex "and those two boys" he gestured at James and Sirius "are going to polish trophies. The rest of you will help file papers in the library."  
  
"Well this is an easy detention," Sirius said aside to Alex and James as they walked to the Trophy Room "it's just polishing."  
  
"Yeah," James shrugged "your arms sort of get used to feeling dead after you're used to it."  
  
Two hours later, a much more tired group of 5th years made their ways into the Griffindor Common room.  
  
"Yeeearch," Ellen exclaimed "you guys stink like polish-god, have a shower!"  
  
"Nah way mate," Alex drawled sleepily "it's my new perfume."  
  
Lily snorted, very glad the old Alex was back. "G'night guys." She said, and went off to bed.  
  
  
  
~~~!!~~~!!~~~!!~~~!!~~~ A/N: * yawns* well there's the second part. . .sorry I had to cut it up like that again. School's a drag. I'm supposed to be there right now (shh- don't tell anyone!) but I'm kinda bludging for a bit so yeah. I hope I've cleared up why Alex was in a bad mood. . .if not: it's cause she like's Sirius, but has no idea what to do about it, cause she thinks that he thinks of her as a best friend or a little sister and she's frustrated about it and doesn't know what to do. So she gets angry. * Shrugs* She also won't tell anyone about it because she's Alex and she'd never hinder people with that sort of stuff.  
  
Read and Review * chants * Read and Review!  
  
I'll have a complete chapter up for next time-I promise! **I'm also really sorry that this chapter is garbage. . .I sorta just "lost it" but the next one'll be more normal. This one's so wacked out it scares me. . .** From Katherine.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
This chapter is dedicated to anyone who's had a bad day, a VERY bad day and also anyone who has a habit of blurting out stuff that shouldn't be said.  
  
* * * * * * * * * 


	9. Chapter7

The Importance of Being. . .Normal?  
  
SUMMARY: Lily and her two best friends, Alex and Ellen are in their fifth year at Hogwarts. What will happen when Lily begins to get to know the Marauders better? Will the Slytherins manage to beat the Griffindors in the House Cup? Will the Marauders be able to win a bet with Alex? Or will they fail miserably?  
  
  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Confused Cupid.  
  
"Jaaaaammmes," Sirius called tauntingly to his friend as they got ready for quidditch training before dinner the next day "what're you going to do about Elle's little bet?"  
  
James groaned, he'd almost forgotten about it for more than. . .5 seconds, and now he'd be thinking about it all through training.  
  
"I don't know," he replied grabbing his broom "try and win Lily over faster? I mean it doesn't have to turn out badly. What are you going to do? At least I know who I like."  
  
"I know who I like," Sirius replied cheekily "you just don't. I'll get her."  
  
"Hmm." Clearly James was not impressed "Just make sure you do alright."  
  
"Of course I will, come on-training time."  
  
The pair dashed down the stair case, meeting up with the girls and Remus and Peter.  
  
* * * * * * *  
  
"Come on everyone, we've got to win the House Cup this year. Those stinking Slytherins stole it from us last time-we're not going to let it happen again," James said to the team before they got on their brooms.  
  
"It's ok James," Alex said, jiggling from one foot to the other, clearly impatient to start training "we'll bet them with our hands tied behind our backs."  
  
"Yeah James," Ellen put in "look who you've got on your team-us. What more could you want?"  
  
Lily broke away from her gaze out at the trees' swaying in the light breeze "Why don't we just start already, it's going to be dark soon."  
  
"I say we listen to Lily," Alex said, getting on her broom  
  
"Far enough," James said grudgingly, not impressed to be stopped from his speech "Chasers, you do your regular drills. Sirius, Elle I'm letting out the Bludgers-make sure they don't hit anyone. We don't need any injuries before the season even starts."  
  
The rest of team got on their brooms and were soon training at top speed, after all they only had a few hours before nightfall.  
  
"Alex! Remember to pass the Quaffle to Lily and Remus!" James hollered  
  
"But they weren't there for the play," Alex protested "I can't throw it to some one who's not there."  
  
"Whatever." James replied diffidently "Sirius! Watch where you're hitting those Bludgers-it almost took Lily's head off!"  
  
"I didn't do it I swear I didn't."  
  
"Be more careful!"  
  
"Why don't you come up here and give it a go then." Sirius challenged, flying low beside his friend.  
  
"No way-I have to make sure you guys are doing the drills properly. I've trained enough over the holidays as it is. So shoo-go, we're going to have to pack up in a couple of minutes."  
  
Meanwhile, Alex was hanging in mid air, letting Remus and Lily have a go at taking a shot at Peter. Unseen to her, and everyone else, a Bludger came straight at her head. Not thinking at all she ducked and swung a fist at it. Excruciating pain severed up her arm, and she almost fell off her broom. On a closer look, it seemed like the Bludger had hit her in the wrist. Alex tried to close her hand into a fist. Tears came to her eyes-too painful. It wasn't broken, she was sure of that. After all she had had three broken wrists before. 'Just sprained really hard,' she thought hopefully to herself 'I'll be fine.'  
  
"Alright team, come down-it's too dark to see properly." James called out at the lengthening shadows were beginning to creep into darkness.  
  
Carefully, Alex steered her broom down, landing on the other side of the pitch, hopeful that no one would see her one handed landing.  
  
Lily looked over at her friend "It's going to take her for ages to get over here, are we just going to go to dinner, or should we wait." She wiped sweat off her forehead. Living in the Muggle world without a chance to train sure wasn't a good thing when everyone else could practise.  
  
"You guys go," Sirius offered "I'll wait for Flannie."  
  
The others nodded and departed, considerably more tired than they were before.  
  
Sirius watched Alex's progress across the pitch carefully, taking in how she strode quite unlike the other girls, but more like a guy. Even from the distance he could see her emotionless face strained, as if holding in something. He raised an eyebrow and laughed to himself. She'd never give up. Not while she was still alive.  
  
"Anything wrong there Alex?" Sirius asked, trying not to sound as concerned as he was.  
  
"No. What makes you think there is." Alex replied shortly.  
  
"Well, for starters, you're holding your arm all strange. Did you get hurt or something?"  
  
"It's nothing. Just a bump. It'll be ok."  
  
Sirius looked closely at her face, and he saw her eyes glassy with held back tears.  
  
"No it's not alright, you don't almost cry when it's just a bump normally."  
  
"Its. Fine. I'm great, never better," Alex smiled falsely  
  
Sirius grabbed her arm and she yelped in pain "See, I told you it wasn't fine, we're going to the hospital wing."  
  
"No we're not. I'm not going there for a sprained wrist. I'm not weak," Alex looked straight into his face, trying not to think of how weak she felt at that moment. Nothing to do with her wrist of course, which was still being held gently by Sirius.  
  
"I think I know that," Sirius laughed lightly but quickly sobered seeing the intense light in her eyes, totally determined to prove she was strong "you're the most non-weak person I know."  
  
Alex raised an eyebrow sarcastically "Oh great. Can we just go to dinner?"  
  
"But"-  
  
"I'm not going there."  
  
"You know what. Sometimes I'd almost think you were too strong for your own good." Sirius said, releasing her arm  
  
"I'm not that hurt you know," Alex said seriously "it really is just a hard sprain."  
  
"Yeah I know," Sirius looked deep into her eyes and saw she was being truthful "but I think you're more hurt than you think."  
  
"What do you mean-I just said I was fine," Alex said uncomfortably shifting her weight from foot to foot. She tried doggedly to return Sirius' stare, as he looked deep into her hazel eyes.  
  
"Alright," Sirius said, sounding half awake "we'll just go to dinner."  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
Ellen laughed to herself quietly as she watched her friends at dinner. Everything was working out as she'd planned. James was being absolutely charming to Lily, and for all appearances it seemed like she was beginning to be won over. She frowned as she watched Alex and Sirius though. As normal they were having an eating contest, and Remus was watching on with a pretty Ravenclaw girl at his side. This part wasn't meant to work out like this. Or perhaps she'd misjudged something for once.  
  
"So, Sirius," a sultry voice came from behind, Ellen spun in her seat to see who it was. Chrissie's younger sister Yasmine. Ellen groaned, surely he hadn't decided Yasmine was his dream girl. Yes she was one of the prettiest girls in Griffindor, but surely Sirius had more sense than to pick a girl who didn't have enough sense to tie her shoelaces. If she had shoelaces that was; her shoes had clasps. "Ready to go?"  
  
Alex almost choked on a piece of meat, and sent a questioning look at Ellen before turning to glare with all she had at the short blonde girl.  
  
"Sure Yasmine," Sirius said, getting up from the table "I'll see you guys later. Bye Flannie."  
  
The pair departed, with a table full of aghast Griffindor faces watching them leave.  
  
"What the?" Alex demanded  
  
"God even I didn't see that coming," James exclaimed  
  
"I wish you had," Lily said  
  
"Why?"  
  
"So you could whack him over the head and tell him not to be so incredibly STUPID?!" Lily burst out.  
  
"Yeah, I would've hit him too, still will actually," Alex said considering "Yasmine is a flaming whore like her sister!"  
  
Ellen was still in shock and said nothing. She had absolutely no words for this.  
  
Remus nodded his head, agreeing with Alex "She hit on me in Herbology the other day."  
  
"She hits on everyone," Ellen put in, finding her voice again "and anything."  
  
"So what are we going to do about Sirius and HER?" Lily asked  
  
"Well after I whack him over the head with my broom a couple of times, you can do whatever you want Lily," Alex said fuming "that little prat. I should've let that Chrissie girl go free range at him the other night."  
  
"Erm, I don't think hitting him is going to help," James supposed "maybe I can talk some sense into him."  
  
"You better be able to." Ellen gave him a pointed look.  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
"Damn damn damn!" Lily exclaimed, pulling her curtains open at about midnight. She'd forgot to do her History of Magic homework, thinking that it was already done. "Argh! Have I ever mentioned that homework drives me mad?" she said to herself, everyone else was asleep.  
  
She quickly rustled around, looking for a blank piece of parchment to write the essay on. Armed with her writing tools and a heavy textbook, she made her way downstairs quietly. The Marauders were sitting around the fireplace talking. Unseen by any of them, Lily carefully crept down and hid behind a chair, inclined to listen in to their conversation.  
  
"You any closer to getting Lily?" Sirius was saying  
  
"I think so," James took off his glasses and cleaned them on his shirt "I mean she trusts me."  
  
"I don't know if it's going to work out with Anna," Remus said thoughtfully, rubbing a hand through his sandy hair "it's so stupid. I thought I was over Ellen. It's so obvious that she doesn't like me, but Anna just can't replace her."  
  
"Give it time Remus," James said putting his glasses back on "you've liked Elle for ever, it's not going to go away that fast."  
  
"And what's this about you and Yasmine, Sirius?" Peter wanted to know "Why didn't you ask Alex out."  
  
"I never said I was going to ask Alex out," Sirius said defending himself "I just said she'd be my first pick. And Yasmine's really pretty don't you think?"  
  
"Yeah but it doesn't mean she's got a brain to go with it," James said, "Alex is just as pretty."  
  
"Way more pretty," Remus pointed out "and she's got a brain."  
  
"Then why don't YOU go out with her Moony? I can't help it if I can't bring myself to ask her out. She's not like the other girls, she doesn't just cave." Sirius said shortly, getting up to go back to their dorm. "I'm going to bed."  
  
James waited until Sirius was out of hearing range before speaking again "Well she's sure got him in a net hey,"  
  
"Yeah whoever would have thought Alex could make someone go so mad over her that they went out with someone else because they were too weak to ask her out," Lily said out loud, startling them all and herself  
  
"Lily?" James said hoarsely "god what are you doing down here?"  
  
Lily stood up, giving up her hiding place and moving to sit down on a couch "I came to do my homework, but listening to you guys is way more interesting."  
  
"Just how much did you hear?" Remus said cautiously  
  
"Enough. Don't worry, I'm not going to dash upstairs, wake up Elle and tell her." Lily brushed off his concerns.  
  
  
  
~~~!!~~~!!~~~!!~~~!!~~~  
  
A/N: Chapter 7 up and finished! Well that has to be the hardest chapter I've written so far. . .coming straight off one of the worst chapters I've ever written it was a bit daunting to make sure this one was better. (Which I hope it is. . .)  
  
Read and Review! * chants * Read and Review!  
  
I'm going to try to get back into the swing of writing decent chapters. . .argh. That last one just plain freaked me out. . .  
  
Oh yes, a HUGE thanks to all the reviewers that brought this fic to break the 50 barrier! *Applauds * you guys are great.  
  
Read and Review *wink *  
  
From Katherine. 


	10. Chapter8

The Importance of Being. . .Normal?  
  
SUMMARY: Lily and her two best friends, Alex and Ellen are in their fifth year at Hogwarts. What will happen when Lily begins to get to know the Marauders better? Will the Slytherins manage to beat the Griffindors in the House Cup? Will the Marauders be able to win a bet with Alex? Or will they fail miserably?  
  
  
  
Chapter 8  
  
Let Go  
  
Lily stood up, giving up her hiding place and moving to sit down on a couch "I came to do my homework, but listening to you guys is way more interesting."  
  
"Just how much did you hear?" Remus said cautiously  
  
"Enough. Don't worry, I'm not going to dash upstairs, wake up Elle and tell her." Lily brushed off his concerns.  
  
"Sooo," James said expectantly  
  
"Sooo," Lily mimicked "how are we going to get Sirius out of his denial?"  
  
"Denial?" Remus exclaimed  
  
"Yeah well, it's pretty much that way. I mean, come on, he's so freaked out to ask Alex out that he's going out with one of the biggest whores in Hogwarts," Lily reasoned "I mean, come on, it's ALEX, it's not as if she's like a stranger to him you know."  
  
"Maybe that's the problem," James murmured  
  
"What is?" Peter asked suddenly getting interested in the conversation  
  
"Maybe because they've known each other for so long. Maybe that's what's wrong," James said thinking a mile a minute "us three grew up together practically. They learnt to fly their brooms on the same day; their birthdays are exactly one month apart. Sirius used to think of Alex as his sister that he never had."  
  
"Until now of course," Lily mused, "because that'd just be feral."  
  
The boys nodded in agreement furiously.  
  
"Sure would be," Remus said, "so what can we do about it? It's not really up to us to change anything."  
  
"And that, my dear Remus, is where you are wrong," Lily said gesturing with a quill "that's exactly who it's up to. I mean, Alex doesn't even tell us girls if she likes someone. She just won't. . .but I'm sure she likes Sirius. Positive."  
  
"As long as you're sure about it," Remus said dubiously  
  
"I am. So I say we get them out somewhere alone together. Where no stupid ditz's can interrupt."  
  
James rubbed his forehead, thinking "We've got to set it up as soon as possible before Yasmine digs her nails in too much. Tomorrow night probably."  
  
"That's the night before our quidditch game. . ." Lily thought aloud "are you sure they'll be alright to play the day after? I mean you know how psyched up Alex gets before a game."  
  
"Hmm," Peter said thinking "maybe it'll work out alright?" he shrugged "I'm going to bed-you guys sort it out. It's too late."  
  
Remus looked at his pocket watch "It's too early actually Peter. Good morning."  
  
Peter just groaned and walked off to bed.  
  
"So, where's the location going to be?" James asked, after Peter left.  
  
"Well a nice after dark walk around the lake might be romantic," Lily suggested, "that's my best bet."  
  
"The lake it is then, after dinner," James said to Lily "I'll say I want to talk to Sirius about something, and you can tell Alex you want to talk about something."  
  
"Perfect," Lily grinned mischievously  
  
"You're spending too much time with us Lily," Remus pointed out "you're even starting to act like us."  
  
Lily stuck her tongue out, quickly said goodnight and dashed upstairs to bed, her homework left forgotten on the table.  
  
* * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Come on Alex!" Lily exclaimed after dinner "You've got to come outside-I need to talk to you."  
  
"No you don't. This is all part of some devious plan," Alex accused "but I'll come anyway. This could be amusing." Happy that she's shocked Lily by hitting so close to home with what they were doing, she led the way out of the castle.  
  
"Well as long as she's eager," Lily muttered, following her outside. As they got closer to the lake, Lily noticed James throwing stones into the glassy lake. Her heart leapt for a second, and then she remembered what she was doing. Helping Alex. She assumed Sirius was sitting somewhere, hidden in the shadows.  
  
"James," Lily called "just the guy I was looking for, Alex, wait here and I'll be back in a minute." 'Or an hour' she thought to herself. James quickly turned and dashed off after her, leaving Alex and Sirius berwilded at their disappearance.  
  
"So," Alex said expectantly "what are we doing now. I'm assuming James told you to come out so he could talk to you."  
  
Sirius nodded, embarrassed "Yeah, I should've figured something was wrong with it all."  
  
Alex shrugged, her black hair making her look like part of the shadows herself "Lets' walk. Nothing better to do."  
  
So they set off walking slowly, talking about quidditch as normal.  
  
Alex sighed happily. 'Can't I just tell him?' she thought to herself 'I'm the one with the guts to do anything. Surely I can.' She shook her head and stopped walking.  
  
"And then we'll just have to score"- Sirius said to himself, not realising Alex had stopped, he turned around "what're you doing Flannie?"  
  
"Probably the stupidest thing in my life," she replied as he walked back to her "why did you ask Yasmine out?" A pang of hurt hit her as she said the words.  
  
"Because I like her?" Sirius said shrugging, wishing his words sounded more convincing  
  
"Tell me the truth,"  
  
"Because. . .because. . .oh forget it, you wouldn't care anyway."  
  
"Why not?" Alex replied sarcastically  
  
"Because you're Alex O' Flannery, you just don't care about stuff like this. And they say guys don't express their feelings, I reckon you're worse," Sirius looked at his feet.  
  
Alex blushed in the shadowy light. "Is that honestly what you think?" she said sadly, and Sirius looked up to look into her face.  
  
"Yes,"  
  
"Then you've forced me to prove you wrong," Alex took a step forward so she was just one more step closer to him "I like you Sirius Black. Heaven help me I don't know how I fell in love with my best friend, but there you have it. Still think I don't express myself properly?"  
  
Sirius's eyes widened considerably as she spoke the words he never thought he'd hear. At least not from Alex's mouth anyway. He looked into her eyes, hoping she wasn't lying. Suddenly, almost without a thought about it he stepped forward, breaking that one step distance between them and cupped Alex's face in his hands.  
  
"One last test," he said, leaning across (Alex isn't short. . .) to kiss her. She froze up for a second, but then relaxed, enjoying the moment.  
  
After a minute or two Sirius broke away, his face lightly pink on the cheeks.  
  
"You'll pass," he said smiling as if he'd never get that smile wiped off in a million years.  
  
"But what if I want extra credit?" Alex said slyly, reminding Sirius in an instant that she wasn't just a stupid good-looking girl. She leant in again, running her fingers through Sirius' hair and kissed him more firmly than any other girls had kissed him before. Suddenly it was he who was going all light headed and not Alex, but that all changed when Sirius decided to take what he could get and kissed her senseless.  
  
  
  
* * * * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Well I hope it worked out alright," Lily said as she and James sat together in the otherwise deserted common room at the same time as Alex and Sirius were snogging down at the lake  
  
"Well Alex hasn't came up threatening to kill either of us yet," James said biting a head off a chocolate frog "so I'm assuming it's going alright."  
  
Lily grinned, "Suppose you're right,"  
  
"Of course I am," James said jokingly "I'm always right."  
  
"Ahuh, sure you are," Lily teased helping herself to another frog from the pile in front of them "but you know something's."  
  
"Like what,"  
  
"Like me trusting you," Lily replied quietly "cause I do."  
  
James smiled "I hope so." He slid over closer to Lily and put a hand carefully on her ivory cheek "Then can I?"  
  
Lily grinned and leant forward a bit until. . .  
  
  
  
~~!!~~~!!~~~!!~~~!!~~  
  
A/N: Alright, apologises for the fact that this is a fairly short chapter, but I kinda thought it was made up of enough guts for a chapter so yep. Chapter 9 out soon, I promise!  
  
Read and Review * chants*  
  
And yeah, I know it's evil to end with a cliffy, but I could have put two of em in there so yeah. . .  
  
From Katherine. 


	11. Chapter9

The Importance of Being. . .Normal?  
  
SUMMARY: Lily and her two best friends, Alex and Ellen are in their fifth year at Hogwarts. What will happen when Lily begins to get to know the Marauders better? Will the Slytherins manage to beat the Griffindors in the House Cup? Will the Marauders be able to win a bet with Alex? Or will they fail miserably?  
  
Chapter 9-Part 1  
  
The Problem with Paradise  
  
"Ahuh, sure you are," Lily teased helping herself to another frog from the pile in front of them "but you know something's."  
  
"Like what,"  
  
"Like me trusting you," Lily replied quietly "cause I do."  
  
James smiled "I hope so." He slid over closer to Lily and put a hand carefully on her ivory cheek "Then can I?"  
  
Lily grinned and leant forward a bit until. . .she whispered in his ear, her warm breath making his skin tingle "Not quite yet."  
  
James groaned disappointedly, "You're such a tease you know that." He said, moving back to where he was sitting before.  
  
Lily nodded "Just be patient. I'll get used to the idea soon enough."  
  
* * * * * * * * * *  
  
"Sirius," Alex murmured as he held her tightly, as if she'd disappear in an instant.  
  
"What?" he moved back slightly so he could look into her face.  
  
"This changes everything doesn't it,"  
  
Sirius nodded with a smile "Isn't that good?"  
  
"Yeah, but maybe not," Alex pulled herself out of Sirius's embrace, but remained holding onto his hand "there's most likely a good reason why Lily won't let James get close to her,"  
  
"That's just because she's scared to trust him, but even Lily can get used to it,"  
  
"Hmm," Alex sat down on a large rock "but can I trust you?"  
  
"You're one of my best friends Alex-you know you can trust me,"  
  
"But that's just it. You're my best friend. Best friends don't go around kissing each other, it wouldn't work,"  
  
"It would. I know you Alex, and you know me. Every single stupid thing each of us has ever done, the other knows about it. Isn't the best way to have a decent relationship?"  
  
"I suppose so. But what about Yasmine?" Alex said, raising her eyebrow questioning  
  
"I'll break up with her-it wasn't like I wanted to go out with her anyway."  
  
Alex shook her head involuntarily  
  
"What?" Sirius said, looking up at the stars for a moment  
  
"It just sounds so. . .cold. I'd hate to be in Yasmine's shoes,"  
  
"But you hate her. You've told me that about a million times before,"  
  
"Only cause she's the type of girl you like," Alex retorted, half scared of how honest she was going to get  
  
"Well it obviously isn't the case, is it," Sirius turned his uptilted face to gaze at Alex "don't worry about it."  
  
"But if you can do it to her, you can do it to me," Alex flicked her braid over her shoulder  
  
"I wouldn't," he said stoically "you're different."  
  
Against her better will, Alex felt the corners of her lips turn into a smile "Thank you," she said honestly. It wasn't like she wanted to be considered similar to Yasmine. "So, can we go back to the dorms now? It's getting really late and we've got to play quidditch tomorrow."  
  
Sirius nodded "This'd be about the first time you've ever not gone to bed before ten on a prematch night isn't it."  
  
"Of course, at least I take my quidditch seriously," Alex said slyly  
  
"Well I take it as serious as I get," Sirius said laughing, "after all I am Sirius."  
  
Alex smiled and cuffed him on the head "Just because some stuff's changed doesn't mean I'm going to be nicer to you,"  
  
Sirius grinned mischievously "I'm glad it's not."  
  
* * * * * * * * *  
  
A/N: I'm sooo sorry about how incredibly short this chapter is, but I really feel like I have to post * something*, and this just happens to be it. . . I'll update with the second half asap, it's just that it's the end of term for school, (one week to go!) and yeah. . .exams are hell! Lol, alright then, more frequent (and better) updates to be made soon, in the holidays.  
  
Please read and review, as always, or I won't continue. . .  
  
~Katherine. 


End file.
